Write Better Press Release Titles

by My Web Writers

You might slave away on a press release about the launch of your company’s latest widget. The core content may be impressive, but what about details like the title? The truth is you should put just as much stock in the title as you would in determining the body of the release.

It’s possible for those in the media to receive hundreds of press releases each day. They typically peruse headlines to determine which ones seem interesting enough to read fully. Will yours make the cut? In short, your title will make or break your chance to grab their attention. Follow these tips to craft effective press release titles.

• Be clear vs. clever—Save “clever” for advertising copy. Editors just want the facts, not a punchy version of it. Therefore, your title should capture what’s covered in the body of your press release. As a rule, focus on the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions, to get your point across.
• Be accurate—Again, leave clever to advertising. You will put yourself at a disadvantage if your title is somehow misleading. Good intentions can cause you to lose credibility, and potentially weaken or sever media relationships.
• Ditch the sales pitch—A press release should be informative and/or entertaining. What it is not is an advertisement for your products and services. You can be interesting, while still being factual and straightforward.
• Keep it short—A good rule of thumb is if you can’t express what you need in 10 words (or 100-150 characters) or fewer, you might need to reconsider if you really understand what you’re promoting. Again, as mentioned above, members of the media are pressed for time, and will only dedicate a few seconds to whatever is put in front of them. Practice creating concise titles that get your point across. You might even want to try several different versions of your headline to make sure you have a good handle on it.
• Include keywords—Alas, don’t forget about optimizing your press release. It’s true search engines tend to favor press releases. That means high rankings for targeted keywords. Strive to get the main keyword in the title.
• Use Numbers— List posts are popular due to their visual nature.  Incorporating this into your title can serve as teaser. In today’s blog dominated world, people demand easy-to-scan content. An example: “5 reasons you should love XYZ product.”
• Proof, proof, proof! —Don’t be “that company” who sends out press releases with typos or other errors in the title. You might want to consider re-visiting it the next day, or even having a peer review it. It’s better to be overly cautious than sorry—and humiliated.

Now that you have the elements of a solid press title down, concern yourself with the writing process. Write the body of the release first, then proceed to writing the title. Why? A title serves as a sort of promise to the reader about what he or she should expect. Writing it last provides you with the benefit of ensuring you followed through with the promise you made in the title.

~Lauren

Write a Better Press Release with Our Template and Tips

My Web Writers

It’s difficult to get noticed these days. It’s easy to get a press release out to media outlets across the globe with the help of the internet, but it’s not easy to stand out from the rest and get your press release noticed.

For extra guidance, consult a press release writer, but you might first want to try our template on writing an engaging press release that will get your content noticed and published:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (this lets the reader know they are reading a press release with important, time-sensitive material)

Name (who is writing the press release OR who should be contacted for further information)
Title (Director of Marketing, Marketing Assistant, etc.)
Company
Phone
Fax
Email
Web Address

Headline (write a headline that is to the point)

Month date, year – Location

Opening Paragraph – You aren’t writing a news story or magazine article, so don’t get caught up in trying to be clever. The first paragraph needs to summarize the entire press release in a sentence or two. It will hopefully cover the “who, what, where, when and why”. There’s no need to bury your information.

Also, make sure your information is newsworthy, or that it has the potential to be built upon to make a great news story.

Include a quote – A good press release will include at least one quote from an industry expert or analyst. This adds some good substance to your press release and gives readers a chance to read someone’s opinion, since the rest of the press release should sound be objective.

Include a photo/graphic – Everyone is more drawn to a reading if it has some sort of info graphic or photo. Your release is much more likely to get picked up if there is artwork to go with it.

The rest of the release – Stick to the facts and back them up with references if appropriate. Always double check your information to make sure it is accurate. Revise and proofread to make sure grammar and spelling are free of errors. Throw in another quote towards the end if it adds value to the release. Don’t use quotes just to fill space.

Boilerplate – End your press release with a paragraph of information about the company that is releasing the information to the media. For example:

About Crazy Willie’s
Crazy Willie’s is a chain of mini amusement parks located in six states in the Midwest. It serves thousands of fun-seeking children and adults who are looking for an affordable and fun day trip. Since 1963, Crazy Willie’s has provided guests with state-of-the-art thrill rides and carnival games. For more information on Crazy Willie’s, visit CrazyWilliesPark.com.

Writing good press releases takes lots of practice. Use our template above to help you get started, and consider going to members of the media to learn what will entice them to pick up your release. Before you know it, you’ll be writing releases that get published or at least pique the interest of the media.

~Natalie

Other Articles About Press Releases:

How to Write a Press Release

Write Better Press Release Titles

What is Google Authorship and What Do Writers Need to Know About It?

By My Web Writers

What is Authorship?

Google Authorship can basically be thought of as your online, digital signature that directly corresponds with your Google+ profile, where Google would like you to store your manicured and verifiable online identity. Just a quick search on the internet for “Google Authorship” provides a flood of results explaining Google Authorship as well as how to and why you should use it.

Why is it so important, though?

The simple answer, as well as the most accurate, is that Authorship is important because Google really, really wants it to be. Google decided and decreed its importance and has helped proliferate the internet with what appear to be incredibly compelling reasons, particularly for writers, to use Google+ Authorship.

When you sign up, Google provides a “rel=author” mark up to include on your writing, which then ties back to your G+ profile. This, ostensibly, is to increase quality web content, increase authority and build trust for quality writers as well as protecting your original content and increasing ranking on SERPs and improving CTRs.

Authorship can be thought of us Google’s reward for writers who are willing to put their name and reputation at the forefront for content that they created. It is marketed as a natural continuation of the Panda update that swept through the search engine results and came down heavy on a lot of bad content companies that were heavy on links and light on unique, engaging content that web users were interested in. These articles were most often ghost written by anonymous content writers, so there was no accountability for terrible content and no reward for greatness.

So, as a writer, what do I need to know about Google Authorship?

Remember that web search for the phrase “Google Authorship”?  Ask yourself why the only results you’ll find are ones promoting and extolling Authorship. There are countless SERPs populated with digital-age John the Baptists crying out, “Prepare Ye the Way for Author Rank with your Diligent Use of Authorship!”

The benefits of Authorship are seemingly numerous for many fairly established writers and bloggers. Here is a visual representation of the glory of Google Authorship.

However, what if you are a writer who sells content to a publisher and ghost writes copy for clients?  Those industry-typical publishing companies own your writing and often play a part in editing and promoting your writing (Read My Conversation with Matt Cutts).  At this time, Google doesn’t acknowledge authorship for publisher or business G+ pages.

Reputable content publishers compensate writers for the content at fair wages that intrinsically reward quality insights and creative material (what Google claims you need Authorship for).  If you, oh Writer, happen to earn a living this way, Google Authorship would require you to sign up for a G+ account to use authorship.

Is this truly a “reward” for writers who produce professional and unique content, or a way to promote G+ accounts with the promise of increased SERPs ranking backed by the echo of Eric Schmidt’s ominous remarks at 2013 SMX West:

“The truest cost of remaining anonymous… might be irrelevance.” While unnerving, writers need to be able to question not only the truth of that statement, but any other assertions encountered time and time again both in life on-line as well as off. Without questioning assertions and providing unique perspectives that often challenge the status quo, writers face the danger of falling in line with the current dotcom doctrine, when in reality, no matter how big Google is (and how awesome many of their products and features actually are), they aren’t the boss of the internet – but sometimes we let them think they are.

For more information on Google Authorship, check out a few of our posts (and others) to make up your own mind about how effective Google Authorship will be for your writing and work.

~Sara

What Would History Say About Google Authorship?

How Should My Business Use Google+?

Google Authorship: How to Show Your Author Photo in Google Search Results

Google Authorship for Multiple Authors

Is Your e-Store Prepared for Summer Shoppers?

My Web Writers

Are you marketing and merchandising your website for this summer’s sales potential? According to Internet Retailer, the U.S. Commerce Department said that U.S. online sales totaled $225.5 billion in 2012, up 15.8% from $194.7 billion in 2011.  With the exception of sales in categories not commonly bought online—

Internet Retailer estimates that e-commerce accounted for 7.6% of total retail sales during the year, up from 6.8% a year earlier. Commerce Department estimates are based on a quarterly survey of more than 11,000 U.S. merchants.

It’s no wonder that such a large marketing emphasis is placed on preparing shopping web sites for each new season and sale.  Every effort counts.   As the weather finally heats up for the summer, many e-stores have rolled out their new merchandise and revamped their web sites. All businesses, regardless of size or industry, can learn from other creative and competitive websites. Let’s take a look at three examples of big name brands and how they’re poised to sell more this summer:

 

1.  Target.com

Target is known for its chic and trendy styles and its unique in-store shopping experience. Target pays special attention to creating this same vibe in its e-store. The web site design is simple, clean and incorporates the signature Target red color to promote brand recognition. Though this main design remains the same year-round, the homepage content is customized to the upcoming holidays and season. Going on right now is a sale on patio furniture and family swimwear.  Aside from the featured sales, Target has changed the photos to represent each of its main shopping categories to be summer-themed. For example the “Women’s” category shows a summery dress and the “Sports and Outdoors” category is represented with an above ground pool. These images, though subtle, entice shoppers to click and browse in areas they may have had no original interest in shopping.

What you can learn: The takeaway from Target’s summer-poised marketing is that images are powerful. If you are trying to sell seasonal items, then every image should be carefully chosen to remind shoppers of all the things they enjoy about that season. Even if they weren’t originally in the market for a pool, customers will be intrigued to click on images that pique their interests.

Target.com’s weakness is its lack of content.  It’s missing tips or suggestions to help customers visualize how to use its products.

Target.com is ready to go for the summer, though the “d” in “deals” should be capitalized and the exclamation point should be dropped. Oops. Can you spot the other capitalization errors?

2. Petsmart.com

Petsmart’s images are ready for summer.  The web site’s main sliding banner greets customers with various pictures of dogs running outside on sunny days. The other still images on the homepage are also of animals in outdoor settings. Moving beyond the homepage, the main items featured are geared toward use in the summer. For example, the dog section has leashes, harnesses and bike trailers aimed at outdoor lovers on the go.

What you can learn: While it’s only April, Petsmart has already positioned its web site with the most summer-related items first.   Like end-caps in physical stores, identify your store’s most desirable and in-demand products and place them at the forefront of the e-store.

Petsmart needs to add seasonal content.  Currently, its homepage bottom content is duplicated on several category pages, which isn’t great for search or for customers.  Petsmart.com could address pet owners’ most frequently asked questions about each category in those spaces.  It’s missing opportunities to educate new animal owners about the pros and cons of buying fencing, habitat accessories, and other pet supplies.

 

Even though it’s a cold spring in many parts of the United States, Petsmart.com helps consumers visualize summer outside with Fifi and Fido.

3. Gap.com

Gap is a brand that adapts to every new season. The colors and styles of their clothes act as decorations for the web site and can change the whole tone from summer to winter.  Clothing stores start advertising their new lines nearly a season in advance. Today, Gap.com is vibrant, bright and cheery with summer apparel.  Even the background graphic on the web site has been changed to read “Be Bright” in art-deco style lettering. From shorts and capri’s to sundresses and tank tops, one would think it’s already August at Gap.com.

Gap.com employs a clever trick with some images. Notice the blue highlight of “uniform shorts.” This phrase looks like a hyperlink. It’s not, but when clicked, the image is linked to the corresponding shorts store. Also, on this page, Gap transitions from spring to summer through use of a jacket with shorts and words that close out spring, while promoting summer.

What you can learn: Not all e-stores and web sites can be as adaptable to changing for each season as Gap, but if you are – utilize it! Tailor your font, graphics, background and colors to represent each season. Summer products seem to “pop” so much more when accompanied by other summer colors on the site and when your products look good, they sell.

However, the Gap is content light.  Sentences are placed over images like memes; but, there are very few words in text above or below page folds.  The Gap performs fairly well in search, but it’s likely that online conversions would improve with carefully-crafted content that adds value to the customers’ shopping experiences.

Overall, the common theme among these e-stores is to move your seasonal and most desirable products to the front. Incorporate the colors of the seasons, but stay true to your brand.  Place seasonal items on your homepage and tailor your images and content toward creating vibes that put shoppers in the mood for summer.

Don’t forget those whose experiences are enhanced beyond the layout, art, and images by the words they read.  Store content should educate the consumer, complement images, and describe the feel of the season.

Is your e-store prepared for summer shoppers?

~Stephanie & Jean

Other MWW Articles:

National Websites without Physical Stores Struggle to Rank

Guidelines for Writing E-Tail Category Content

Five Ways to Prepare Your E-Store for the Holidays

Nab These Call-to-Action Verbs

Twenty-five Effective, Call-to-Action Phrases for E-commerce Content

by My Web Writers

“Click here!” “Buy today!” “Limited time only!” We’ve seen them all, and ignored most of them. Not all e-commerce call-to-action phrases are creative. Most of them are incredibly cliché and really don’t motivate the reader to do much of anything.

You want to be different. You want to stand out. In order to do this put on your thinking cap and let your creative juices flow. Don’t use the same words that everyone else uses. Turn to a thesaurus if you need to and make sure you’re thinking outside the box.

Try these 25 effective, call-to-action phrases in your ecommerce content:

1. Just hit Reply and we’ll email you the details.
2. Entice him with x, y, and z.
3. Impress when you dress in x, y, and z.
4. Think (insert topic here).
5. Get the 411.
6. Come hang with us.
7. Write!
8. Tell us you want it.
9. Put it in my closet.
10. Use it ASAP.
11. Make my friends jealous.
12. Explore the product.
13. Book a table.
14. Take a chance today.
15. Achieve more now.
16. Build my collection.
17. Learn how to profit.
18. Improve my life.
19. Make me (look, smell, dress, etc.) better.
20. Check it out.
21. Some of our customer favorites are x, y, and z.
22. Try popular styles like x, y, and z.
23. Our top sellers, such as X and Y, receive outstanding reviews.
24. Shop for other items like x including y and z.
25. Our most linked to products are x, y, and z.

Remember that calls to action aren’t only about the words. Experiment with fonts, size, and placement on the page.  Feel free to be creative while enticing shoppers to buy more!

~Natalie